Apparatus for spreading and guiding a fabric web



G. Z. GOWIN April 5, 1966 APPARATUS FOR SPREADING AND GUIDING A FABRIC WEB 5 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed Feb. 28, 1962 Il: UIIIIU INVENTOR. BY GRovER Z. Gow/N wf/XM,

WITNESS AT TORNEY v Mii# April 5, 1966 G. z. GowlN 3,243,978

APPARATUS FOR SPREADING AND GUIDING A FABRIC WEB Original Filed Feb. 28, 1962 3 Sheecs-Sheefl 2 /NVNTOR Fig, 2, GROVER Z. Gow/N f I ATTORNEY April 5, 1966 G. z. Gowm 3,243,978

APPARATUS FOR SPREADING AND GUIDING A FABRIC WEB Original Filed Feb. 28, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR. GRovER Z. Gow/N B AT TORNEY United States Patent O 3,243,978 APPARATUS FOR SPREADING AND GUIDING A FABRIC WEB Grover Z. Gowin, Tunnel Hill, Ga., assignor to The Singer Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Continuation of application Ser. No. 176,268, Feb. 28, 1962. This appiication Jan. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 432,061 Claims. (Cl. 6S-177) This application is a continuation of my prior application Serial No. 176,268, filed February 28, 1962, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to apparatus for spreading and guiding a web of fabric, e.g., a carpet, and more particularly, to an apparatus for maintaining a fabric web passing over the same in a spread or open-width condition and in a centered condition.

ln many operations, for example in open-width dyeing of carpet, in which a continuous length of carpet is irnrnersed into and withdrawn from the dyeing solution, means are provided for keeping the carpet spread and for keeping it centered with respect to the driving roller. Equipment now in use for this operation has the disadvantages that they introduce distortion into the fabric and are not sufiiciently fast-acting to maintain the web centered at all times. Present equipment has a further disadvantage when used with tufted fabrics, i.e., in dyeing tufted carpet, it has been found that loops are pulled from the fabric by the action of the spreader rolls thereon.

In accordance with the above, it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for controlling a fabric web, which apparatus is fast-acting to maintain the web in centered condition and which will control the web without introducing distortions into the web and, in use with a tufted fabric, without pulling loops from the web.

Having in mind the above and other objects that will be evident from an understanding of this disclosure, the invention comprises the devices, combinations aad arrangements of parts as illustrated in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention which is hereinafter set forth in such detail as to enable those skilled in the art readily to understand the function, operation, construction and advantages of it when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a front elevational view of a dyeing machine embodying the present invention, parts of the machine being partly broken away.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the dyeing machine of FIG. 1 with parts broken away and in section.

FIG. 3 is an electrical diagram of the controls for the web spreading and guiding means of the machine of FIG. 1.

With reference to the drawings, there is illustrated a dyeing machine having an outer shell including a front wall 1, a rear wall 2, a bottom wall 3 that is continuous with the rear wall 2 and is connected to it by a smooth curve or corner 4, and end walls 5 and 6, all defining a dye kettle that is adapted to be filled with a dye solution to the level as indicated at 7. Within the dye kettle there is provided a perforated false bottom 8 that is coextensive with the rear wall 2, bottom wall 3 and corner 4, and a vertical baille 9 that is coextensive with the front wall 1. Steam is introduced into the dye kettle in the space between the front wall 1 and baffle 9 by a plurality of steam lines itl.

The fabric web W is withdrawn from the dyeing solu- ICC tion upwardly along the baffle 9, over the guiding and spreading mechanism 11, over the drive roller 12, and is then reimmersed lin the dyeing solution along the false bottom 8.

The drive roller 12 consists of a plurality of transverse bars 13, spaced angularly about a plurality of circular supports 14 that are in turn mounted on a drive shaft 15 journaled in the side walls 5 and 6. Preferably, the bars 13 are angle irons secured to the supports 14 at the angles with the free edges of the web extending outwardly for engaging the fabric. Rotation is imparted to the drive roller 12 by a motor 16 mounted on a bracket 17 carried by the end wall 5 and having a sprocket 18 connected by a belt 19 to a sprocket 20 on the drive shaft 15.

The guiding and spreading mechanism 11 comprises a pair of axially aligned rollers 21 and 22 arranged in end-to-end relation on an axis parallel to the axis of the drive roller 12. The rollers 21 and 22 are journaled at their remote ends in the end walls 5 and 6 and at their adjacent ends in a bearing bracket 23 carried by a support tube 24 that is secured at its ends to the end walls 5 and 6. The rollers 21 and 22 are thus journaled independently for rotation. Formed upon the peripheral surface of each of the rollers 21 and 22 is a spiral 25 which may be formed by a small diameter rod wound spirally on and secured to the periphery thereof, the spirals on the rollers being oppositely directed and being designed to progress from the adjacent ends of the rollers outwardly toward the remote ends thereof upon forward rotation of the rollers, that is, rotation in a direction in which the rollers at the point of contact with the fabric advance relative to the web, which is counterclockwise in FIG. 2.

Each of the rollers 21 and 22 is driven independently in the forward direction and for this purpose has a reduced end 26 that extends through the respective end wall S or 6 and has thereon a sprocket 27 that is connected by a chain 28 to a sprocket 219 on a shaft 3) journaled in a bracket 31 mounted on the respective end wall. Each of the shafts 3%) are driven from the shaft 15 by a chain 32 extending between a sprocket 33 on the shaft 15 and a sprocket 34 journaled on the shaft 3i?. Also mounted on each of the shafts 30 and adapted selectively to couple the shaft 3% to the sprocket 33 or to brake the same, is an electrically-actuated clutch-brake mechanism 35 including a clutch unit 36 and a brake unit 37.

With each of the rollers 21 and 22 selectively driven as above noted or braked and with the spirals 25 arranged as noted, the action upon the web W by the spirals 25 can be made to work the web outwardly from the center thereof to provide a spreading action and at the same time the laction of one of the spirals can be selectively reversed so that the action of both of the spfrals will be in the same direction to provide a quick and easy centering action. This result is obtained by reversing the direction of the relative motion between the web and the spiral. When the rollers are driven, they are traveling faster than the web so that the relative motion between the web and the spiral at the point of contact is in what is termed the forward direction. The spirals 25 are arranged to urge the web outwardly from the center thereof upon relative motion in the forward direction. When the relative motion of the web and the spirals is reversed-that is, when the web is traveling faster than the spirals, the web is urged in the opposite direction or inwardly toward the center thereof.V The centering action is obtained by reversingvthe direction of the relative motion of one of the rollers 21 or 22 'with respect to the web, While continuing to drive the other of the rollers, so that both of the spirals 25 urge the web in the same direction. The means for reversing the relative motion between the web and the spirals*the reversingV means set forth in the appended claims, is the brake unit 37.V The force or effect applied to the web by the spiral Z5 when the spiral is moving slower than the web is a function of the speed of the relative motion between the web'and the spiral, and assuming a constant speed of the web, the maximum leffect would be when the respective roller is stopped.

While the rollers A21 and 22 are in the preferred ernbodiment driven during the spreading action and selectively braked during thecentering action, it will be apparent that these actions could be reversed.

The sensing mechanism Vfor controlling the rollers 21 and 22 in response to the'lateral Wanderings of the fabric comprises a -pair of sensing elements 3S and 39 adapted to engage the opposite edges of the fabric. The sensing elements 38 and 39 are each suspended 'by a rwire 4@ from a collar 41 slidably mounted on a rod 42 and adapted to be secured in adjusted position thereon by a thumbscrew 43. The rod 42 is arranged transversely of the machine on an axis` parallel to the axis of the rollers, and is mounted in the end walls S and '6 and electrically insulated therefrom by bushings 44. The rod 42 is formed in two parts '45 and 46 electrically insulated from each other by a sleeve 47V and each of which is connected at the end "thereof to -a lead 48. The sensing elements 38 and 39 are electrically conductive and are electrically connected through the wires 40, collars 41 and parts 4S and 46 of the rod 42 to one of the leads 48. As more fully explained hereinafter, lthe frame of the machine is grounded and the clutch-brake mechanisms are controlled by engageinent of the sensing elements 38 and 39 with the edges of the fabric which acts to connect the sensing elements to groundthrough the fabric andthe dyeing solution.

With reference'to FIG. 3there is illustrated schematically theelectrical control'circuit of the machine. The clutch-brake mechanism 35 associated with the left hand roller 21 includes a coil 49 for operating the brake unit 37 thereof, and a coil 50 for operating the lclutch unit 36. Similarly, there is provided coils 51 and 52 for operating respectively the brake andclutch units 37 and 36 of the clutch-brake mechanism 35 associated with the right hand roller 22. Y

Since the circuits for the coils 49 and 50 on the one hand and the coils 51 and 52 on the other hand are identical, common reference numerals are used in both circuits, only `one of which is hereinafter described. It is understood that the description of the one circuit is equally applicable to the other.

Electrical power for operating the brake coils 49Vand 51 and the clutch coils`50 and 52 is suppliedby an alternating current source S1 through a transformer 53, rectifier 54 and leads 55 `land 56. The application of power to the coils is controlled by a relay 57 having a coil 5S, a pair of contacts '59 which, when closed, energize the brake coil 49 or 51, and a pair of contacts 60, which, when closed, energize the clutch coil 5G or 52. When the coil 5S is energized, the clutch contacts 6) are closed and the brake contacts 59 are open. The opposite occurs when the coil 58 is deenergized.

The energization of the relay 57 is controlled by the engagement of the sensing element 38 or 39 with the fabric through a control circuit supplied with power from van alternating current source S2 through Va transformer 61. The transformer 61 has a first secondary coil 62 that applies positive voltage to a line 63 through a rectifier V64 and a second secondary coil 65 that applies a negative voltage to a line 66 through a rectifier 67. The transformer 61 also has a third secondary Acoil 68 which through leads 69 encrgizes Vthe filament 7) of a triode amplifier 71. The cathode 72 of the amplifier 71 is grounded white the anode 73 is connected by a lead 74 to the coil 75 of a relay 76, the opposite side of which coil is connected to the lead 63. The relay 76 includes two pairs of contacts 77 and 78. When the coil 75 is Suthciently deenergized, the contacts 77 are closed and the contacts 78 'are open, and when it is energized, the contacts 77 are open and the contacts 78 are closed. The amplifier 71 controls the energization of the coil 75.

Negative voltage is applied tothe grid 79 of the amplifier 71 bythe lead 66. When the sensing 'element 38 or 39 contacts the fabric W, which is grounded through the dyeing solution and frame ofthe machine, the grid 79 vis grounded vthrough llead 48, lthus permitting lthe amplifier 71 to conduct and thereby energize the coil 75 to actuate the relay 76. The sensitivity of the device is adjusted by means of an adjustable resistor 86, one side of which is grounded, thereby varying the negative lbiasing voltage on the grid 79. Normally, the grid 'voltage will be adjusted so that the amplifier 71 will be conducting but 'will 'not be conducting sufficiently to actuate the relay 76.

The coil 58 of the relay 57 Vis Vconnected at one side to the line '63 through a lead 82 andthe contacts `77 ofthe -relay 76, and at the other side 'is-connected to the anode V83 of a gas Ytriode 84, the cathode 85 'of which is connected to ground. The grid 86 of the triode 84 is connected to the lead 82 through an adjustable resistor 87 and is also connected to ground through the contacts 78 ofthe relay 76 and to one side of a capacitor `88 the other side of which is connected "to ground. The purpose is this circuit is to obtain a time delay in the energization of the coil 58 after the contacts 77 have closed. When the contacts 77 are closed, the charging `of lthe capacitor S8 delays the Vapplication of the full voltage of line 63 on the grid '86, thusrdelaying'thetime at which the triode 84 will conduct. The amount of the delay is variable by adjustment ofthe resistor '87. Whenthe contacts '78 are closed, the capacitor 88 -is discharged, thus resetting the time delay circuit.

The operation of the present'device isasfollows: Normally, Vthe fabric W will be out of engagement with 'the sensing elements, 38 and 39. Thus, negative vvoltage from the lead '66 will Vbe applied to lthe grid 79 of the amplifier 71 and the amplifier -71 Will be biased so that it will not lbe conducting sufficiently to energizefthe coil 75V of the relay V'76. In this condition, the contacts 77 are closed andthe Vcontacts 78 open. Withtheconta'cts 77 closed, power from the lead63 is applied to Vthecoil 58 of the relay 57 and theclutch vcontacts 60 thereof will be closed while the brake contacts 59 are open.V With the clutch contacts 60 closed, theclutch coil '50 o'r 52 is energized and the rollers 21-an'd 22 -will be rotated continuously to spread the fabric.

As the fabric wanders from the centered condition relative to the rollers 21'and '22, it Will-engage one or the other of the sensing elements 38 and VV39. 79 of therrespective amplifier 71 isthus :grounded through the fabric, permitting the amplifier 71 to conduct ysuiiiciently to energize the coil 75 of the relay '76,V thus opening the contacts 77 and closing contacts '78. When the that the clutch contacts 6i) will not Vbe closed immedi-V ately as soon as the fabric disengages the sensing Velement 38 or 39, but will remain open with theV brake contacts 59 closed for a time thereafter sothat, the fabricis moved fully'back to the centered position on therollers 21 and 22. Y

The Vgrid Y Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of my invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modiiications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus set forth the nature of this invention, what I claim herein is:

1. Apparatus for spreading and guiding a web of material comprising a pair of axially aligned rollers adapted to receive the web transversely and in a centered condition thereon, said rollers having oppositely directed spirals on the peripheral surfaces thereof and each of said spirals being arranged to urge the web outwardly of the roller upon relative motion in one direction between the web and the roller and to urge the web inwardly of the roller upon relative motion in the other direction between the web and the roller, actuating means for each of said rollers for effecting relative motion between the roller and the web in the one direction in which the spirals on both of said rollers urge the web outwardly, reversing means for each of said rollers for eecting relative motion between the roller and the web in the other direction, and control means responsive to the web for controlling the actuating means and the reversing means to effect relative motion between the web and the rollers in the one direction in which both of the rollers urge the web outwardly to provide a spreading action thereon and selectively to effect relative motion in the opposite direction of one of the rollers when the web wanders into the same whereby both of said rollers will urge the web in the same direction to provide for centering thereof.

2. Apparatus for spreading and guiding a web of materials comprising a pair of axially aligned rollers adapted to receive the web transversely and in a centered condition thereon, means for moving the web longitudinally relative to said rollers, means for mounting said rollers independently for rotation, drive means for such of said rollers for imparting forward rotation thereto to effect relative motion between the roller and the web in a direction to advance the roller relative to the web where the same are in contact, reversing means for each of said rollers for electing relative motion between the roller and the web in the opposite direction, said rollers having oppositely directed spirals on the peripheral surfaces thereof and arranged to move the web outwardly in both directions from the center of the rollers upon forward rotation of said rollers relatively to the web, a pair of sensing elements for engaging the opposite longitudinal edges of the web, control means for each of said drive means and for said reversing means and responsive to the engagement and disengagement of one of said sensing elements and the web for controlling the operation of both of said drive means and both of said reversing means to provide for continuous forward rotation of said rollers relative to the web when the web is in Centered condition and to stop the drive means and to actuate the reversing means of one of said rollers when the web wanders from the centered condition in the direction toward that roller and to stop the drive means and to actuate the reversing means of the other of said rollers when the web wanders in the other direction.

3. Appratus for spreading and guiding a web of material, comprising a pair of axially aligned rollers adapted to receive the web transversely and in a centered condition thereon and having oppositely directed spirals on the peripheral surfaces thereof, means for mounting said rollers independently for rotation, drive means for imparting rotation to each of said rollers relative to the web, brake means for each of said rollers, sensing means responsive to the position of the web laterally of said rollers,

and control means for each of said rollers, each of said control means being responsive to said sensing means for controlling the operation of the respective drive means and simultaneously setting the respective brake means when the drive means is deenergized and releasing said brake means when the drive means is energized.

4. Apparatus for spreading and guiding a web of material, comprising a pair of axially aligned rollers adapted to receive the web transversely and in a centered condition thereon and having oppositely directed spirals on the peripheral surfaces thereof, means for mounting said rollers independently for rotation, drive means for each of said rollers and including clutch means for selectively coupling and uncoupling said drive means with respect to the respective roller, brake means for each of said rollers, a pair of sensing elements for engaging the opposite longitudinal edges of the web, and control means for each of said rollers, each of said control means being responsive to the engagement and disengagement of one of said sensing elements and the web upon the wandering of the web from the centered condition for actuating said clutch and brake means to uncouple said drive means from the respective roller and to set said brake means and, through a time-delay, for actuating said clutch and brake means to couple said drive means to the respective roller and to release said brake means.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said clutch and brake means are electrically actuated.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which each of said control means comprises a relay for controlling the application of power to said clutch and brake means including switching means for energizing and deenergizing said relay, time delay means, and means for electrically connecting said sensing element and said time delay means for actuating said switching means in response to the engagement and disengagement of said sensing element and the web.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which said switching means comprises an electrically biased element and a bias circuit for biasing the same, and said time delay means comprises a capacitor in the bias circuit of said electrically biased element.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 in which said means for connecting said sensing element and time delay means comprises a second relay and a second electricallybiased element, and said sensing element acts to control the bias of said second electrically-biased element.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim S in which said sensing element controls the bias on said second electricallybiased element by grounding the same through the web upon engagement of the sensing element and the web, and there is provided a parallel circuit for grounding said bias and including an adjustable resistance to adjust the sensitivity of said sensing element.

1G. In a dyeing machine for an endless web of carpet or the like and having a dye container, a drive reel for removing and depositing the carpet in said dye container, a pair of axially aligned rollers disposed transversely of the web between said drive reel and said dye container and having oppositely directed spirals on the peripheral surfaces thereof, means for mounting said rollers independently for rotation, drive means for imparting rotation to each of said rollers, brake means for each of said rollers, a pair of sensing elements for engaging the opposite longitudinal edges of the web, and control means for each of said rollers, each of said control means being responsive to the engagement and disengagement of one of said sensing elements and the web for actuating said drive means and said brake means to provide for continuous rotation of said rollers when the web is centered relative to said sensing elements during normal operation and to stop the drive means and to set the brake means associated with one of said rollers when the respective sensing element engages the web, thereby spreading the Y v3,243,978 7 g web and aligning it in a centered concltiorx relative to 2,688,176 9/ 1954 Birch 26-63 said rollers. 2,979,934 Y 4/ 1961 Cutten etal 68-17 7 Reerens Cited by the Examiner 2,997,871V '8/ 1961 Cutten et al 68-177 UNITED STATES PATENTS Y 5 WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner. 876,462 1/.1908 Keighleyet al Y 26-10 WILLAM I. PRICE, Assistant Examiner.

1,678,925 77/1928 Tackaberry u,226-15 

10. IN A DYEING MACHINE FOR AN ENDLESS WEB OF CARPET OR THE LIKE AND HAVING DYE CONTAINER, A DRIVE REEL FOR REMOVING AND DEPOSITING THE CARPET IN SAID DYE CONTAINER, A PAIR OF AXIALLY ALIGNED ROLLERS DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY OF SENSING ELEMENT ENGAGES THE WEB, THEREBY SPREADING THE THE WEB BETWEEN SAID DRIVE REEL AND SAID DYE CONTAINER AND HAVING OPPOSITELY DIRECTED SPIRALS ON THE PERIPHERAL SURFACES THEREOF, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID ROLLERS INDEPENDENTLY FOR ROTATION, DRIVE MEANS FOR IMPARTING ROTATION TO EACH SAID ROLLERS, BRAKE MEANS FOR EACH OF SAID ROLLERS, A PAIR OF SENSING ELEMENTS FOR ENGAGING THE OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF THE WEB, AND CONTROL MEANS FOR EACH OF SAID ROLLERS, EACH OF SAID CONTROL MEANS BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE ENGAGEMENT AND DISENGAGEMENT OF ONE OF SAID SENSING ELEMENTS AND THE WEB FOR ACTUATING SAID DRIVE MEANS AND SAID BRAKE MEANS TO PROVIDE FOR CONTINUOUS ROTATION OF SAID ROLLERS WHEN THE WEB IS CENTERED RELATIVE TO SAID SENSING ELEMENTS DURING NORMAL, OPERATION AND TO STOP THE DRIVE MEANS AND TO SET THE BRAKE MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF SAID ROLLERS WHEN THE RESPECTIVE SENSING ELEMENT ENGAGES THE WEB, THEREBY SPREADING THE WEB AND ALIGNING IT IN A CENTERED CONDITION RELATIVE TO SAID ROLLERS. 